American Airlines ticket agent's gut feeling saves 2 girls from potential human trafficking

Never underestimate gut instinct—it can truly be life-saving. In California, a quick-thinking American Airlines agent’s intuition led her to save two young girls from a human trafficking scheme that might have forever changed their lives.

Two young girls from Roseville, California, approached Denice Miracle at the Sacramento International Airport ticket counter, raising her immediate suspicion. The teens were alone, lacked identification, and each held a one-way first-class ticket. “It just didn’t feel right,” she told TODAY. “They were young and by themselves. It’s unusual to get teens traveling that far by themselves … One of the girls was texting someone on the phone to get answers. They had small bags, and I initially thought they were running away from home.”

With 28 years of experience as a customer service agent, Miracle sensed that something was off. "The way they kept looking back-and-forth at each other like they weren’t really sure, and they were texting someone on the phone, and that person was giving them answers," she told CBS Sacramento. Her concerns were further confirmed when the girls’ tickets were flagged for potential credit card fraud. She informed the girls, who were aged 15 and 17, that there was something wrong with their tickets and would let them know when it was checked out. In the meantime, she contacted the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department Airport Bureau.

Sheriff’s Deputy Todd Sanderson approached the girls and soon learned they had received the plane tickets from a man they met on Instagram. This man, "Drey," promised them $2,000 for a modeling gig and performing in music videos. Recognizing the red flags, Sanderson informed the girls that Drey had only booked one-way tickets, which shocked them. Initially, they insisted they wouldn’t become victims. "That's typically the ruse used to get minors involved," he told KTVU. When Sanderson contacted Drey, he quickly deleted all his social media profiles.

Investigators emphasized that if the girls had boarded the flight, their lives might have been irreparably changed. Traveling without their parents’ knowledge, they were saved in time thanks to Denice Miracle’s actions. “I’m proud of Denice and how she put her training into action to save these children,” said American Airlines general manager Aleka Turner. “She is a testament to the critical role our frontline team members play every day in the operation and the lives of each person they come in contact with.” The girls were safely reunited with their families and returned home.

“That was my 15-year-old daughter,” the mom of one of the girls wrote to Miracle. “There are no words to express our gratitude to you. Thank you. Because of you, my daughter is home safe with her family where she is loved and belongs.” Miracle was touched and said, “It’s just heartwarming. It makes me feel really good, and I’m glad they’re safe.” Sanderson also expressed his gratitude to Miracle and said, “I’m very, very thankful Ms. Miracle with American Airlines was able to use her intuition and concern and actually say something.” 

According to Polaris Project, online recruitment in all types of sex and labor trafficking on social media platforms including, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Kik, WhatsApp, and dating sites/apps as well. "Traffickers may build an intimate relationship with a victim through social media or advertise fake or deceptive job opportunities," the website stated.  

This article originally appeared 3 years ago.